principal bedroom, he found his wife, Marianne, in bed there, but awake
and sitting up. She had risen a moment before in order to pull back a
curtain, and all the glow of that radiant May morning swept in, throwing
a flood of gay sunshine over the fresh and healthy beauty of her
four-and-twenty years. He, who was three years the elder, positively
adored her.

"You know, my darling," said he, "I must make haste, for I fear I may
miss the train--and so manage as well as you can. You still have thirty
sous left, haven't you?"

She began to laugh, looking charming with her bare arms and her
loose-flowing dark hair. The ever-recurring pecuniary worries of the
household left her brave and joyous. Yet she had been married at
seventeen, her husband at twenty, and they already had to provide for
four children.

"Oh! we shall be all right," said she. "It's the end of the month to-day,
and you'll receive your money to-night. I'll settle our little debts at
Janville to-morrow. There are only the Lepailleurs, who worry me with
their bill for milk and eggs, for they always look as if they fancied one
meant to rob them. But with thirty sous, my dear! why, we shall have
quite a high time of it!"

She was still laughing as she held out her firm white arms for the
customary morning good-by.

"Run off, since you are in a hurry. I will go to meet you at the little
bridge to-night."